The city has yet to select a design option to renovate and repair the City Hall building downtown, which has been closed since a mid-morning arson fire on Aug. 17, 2010.

No one was arrested for setting the fire in the fourth-floor attic, the result of which was extensive water damage and the subsequent demolition of interior walls.

The cost of repairing City Hall, which is located across from Church Green at 15 Summer St., has ranged from $15 million to $23 million.

Until such time that the building is repaired, the city will continue to operate its temporary city hall in what had been Lowell M. Maxham School at 141 Oak St.

Progress

A pre-demolition survey has been underway for at least a month at the Leonard Block/Star Theater. That four-story, dilapidated building stands within yards of City Hall.

In late 2013, the city took possession of the Star from former owner Michael O'Donnell, after a housing court judge found him in contempt for failing to make significant structural repairs and to remove debris and junk from inside.

City officials have said they will tear down the Star as soon as possible to lay the groundwork for repairing City Hall. Doing so, they said, will afford construction crews easier access to City Hall and will also create more parking space opportunities.

A $6 million lawsuit filed by the city against both its former insurance carrier and agency has yet to be settled.

The city claims the agency failed to provide adequate guidance and that the insurance company has no grounds for withholding a portion of its $4.8 million fire-policy settlement.